Re: in lieu of Cameras for Gaza

From: Dinorah de Jesús Rodriguez (email suppressed)
Date: Sun Jan 11 2009 - 20:05:27 PST


your point is very well taken, chris, as is the point made by JP and
i will stand corrected and persuaded. i admit i haven't been on the
list for very long and was not sue just how far the horizons stretch
here.

i'm happy to agree to creative discourse and arguments regarding
point of view, use of cameras, and political expression through art
and film. and yes, it's fascinating to observe that, though the
concept of "objectivity" is in my mind questionable at best, the role
of documentary work, and film (and art, for that matter) in general,
is unquestionably one of social and political intervention. and i
wholeheartedly agree that through the blather came some interesting
and informative reading.

and you're right, it's actually a very good thing that we don't all
think alike (what was i thinking?), nor have i ever been one to steer
clear of politics in film or art. i admit that flame-throwing makes
me a little uncomfortable, but come to think of it, so do some of my
favorite works.... and hell, had i not been at least slightly
interested in the direction of the Cameras for Gaza thread, i would
not have followed it and read each post, but would have instead
deleted them as JP suggested. in fact, i consider the Cameras for
Gaza an interesting and relevant project which was why i followed the
thread in the first place.

i do have to agree with JP, however, that blistering comments posted
without proper editing (given the context) bring up the same "wish-it-
would-end" experience that comes with watching bad films. i
apologize if my own comment fell into that category.

enjoy today...

Dinorah de Jesús Rodríguez
Film/Video Artist and Freelance Writer

www.solislandmediaworks.com
www.artcinematic.blogspot.com

On Jan 11, 2009, at 9:09 PM, Chris Kennedy wrote:

> On 1/11/09 3:16 PM, "FRAMEWORKS automatic digest system"
> <email suppressed> wrote:
>
>> amen. i too signed up to this list to connect with like-minded
>> thinkers in the area of art and film. there are other blogs in
>> which to discuss the middle east crisis. and thanks to all who
>> have reiterated this point.
>
> Damn that Godard for always having to go and mention the Vietnam
> war. Oh, and that Derek Jarman for talking about AIDS so much.
>
> I know I did protest the discussion around Obama buttons earlier
> (not having subscribed to the experimental buttons discussion
> list), but I do think the large argument around Gaza is legit,
> especially since it sprung from an appeal for cameras for Gaza and
> has evolved into a discussion that is very clearly about point of
> view, which often circumvents the image completely (I think that
> Malgosia and I would look at the very same image very differently,
> as I see differently from people who come from a similar “Christian
> guilt complex” upbringing as me, like Canada’s National Post and
> Conservative ruling party, which very much supports Israel in this
> one).
>
> My first pithy 50 word one-liner fortunately died the death of an
> incorrect email address, but I do think after wading through some
> pretty reactionary (on both sides) blather, there has been a couple
> of interesting posts that have emerged from this, including an
> important one as too whether cinema can change minds and how one
> constructs debate (this being a textual one about visual forms).
>
> There are always flame-wars on this list. Why shouldn’t there be,
> specially when there are world events that shape how some of us do
> our work? I disagree that we’re even “like-minded thinkers in the
> area of art and film” (witness a recent 8mm/Super 8 fight)? Could
> someone explain to me why experimental filmmakers, of all people,
> SHOULD get along?
>
> Admittedly, my main reference point for the current Gaza crisis
> isn’t an experimental film. It’s “Wag the Dog”.
>
> Best,
> Chris
> __________________________________________________________________
> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>

__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.